World Bank Funds International Partnership to Develop Telecommunications in Africa.WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 24, 1999-- An international government and industry consortium has been awarded a grant from the World Bank's infoDev program to help African countries bring global mobile personal communications to their communities and people. The project is being led by the Pan African Telecommunications Union African Telecommunications Union (ATU) The African Telecommunications Union (ATU) is a continental organization that combines countries and mobile telecommunications providers within Africa in an attempt to dramatically increase development of the continent’s , an intergovernmental in·ter·gov·ern·men·tal adj. Being or occurring between two or more governments or divisions of a government. in association based in Nairobi. The consortium also include African Connections, an initiative by African governments to build Africa's communications infrastructure; the Global Information Infrastructure Commission, a United States United States, officially United States of America, republic (2005 est. pop. 295,734,000), 3,539,227 sq mi (9,166,598 sq km), North America. The United States is the world's third largest country in population and the fourth largest country in area. based non governmental organization; and ICO ICO Icon (File Name Extension) ICO In Case Of ICO Information Commissioner's Office (UK) ICO Instituto de Crédito Oficial (Spain: Official Credit Institute) Global Communications, the global mobile communications company Communications Company is a communications unit of the United States Marine Corps. They are part of Combat Logistics Regiment 37 , 3rd Marine Logistics Group (3MLG) and III Marine Expeditionary Force (III MEF). The unit is based out of the Marine Corps Base Camp Smedley D. . Under the nine-month project, the consortium will develop the tools to speed up access to mobile satellite communications services in Africa. These tools include an access toolkit, a framework for service licensing and relevant training, creating an Internet site containing a database of regulatory information and scheduling regional consultative forums. The consortium has been awarded a grant of $250,000 from the World Bank's Information for Development Program (infoDev), which was established in 1995 to help developing countries benefit from modern information technology. InfoDev provides grants to promote the use of information systems to spur economic and social development. The four consortium members believe the project will make available a broad base of knowledge about licensing mobile satellite systems among government officials and commercial representatives. Global mobile communication systems allow users to make and receive calls at any time, anywhere in the world. Regions without any access to telephone lines will benefit from the technology. Mr. Mamadou Keita, Secretary General of PATU PATU Pan-African Telecommunications Union PATU Pan American Taekwondo Union PATU Police Anti-Terrorist Unit (South Africa) , said: "One of PATU's primary objectives is to develop policy and regulatory expertise that will assist our members in telecommunications reform processes, and we believe this project furthers that goal. Collaboration between the public and private sector is extremely productive and we fully support this type of initiative." ICO's regional general manager for Africa, Khaya Dlukulu, said: "ICO is proud to be associated with two of the most eminent telecommunications organizations on the continent. We expect this initiative to lead ultimately to specific pilot projects that will stimulate access to demand for global mobile communications services in Africa." Editor's Note Editor's Note (foaled in 1993 in Kentucky) is an American thoroughbred Stallion racehorse. He was sired by 1992 U.S. Champion 2 YO Colt Forty Niner, who in turn was a son of Champion sire Mr. Prospector and out of the mare, Beware Of The Cat. Trained by D. : ICO Global Communications (Nasdaq: ICOGF) was established in January 1995 as a private company to provide global mobile personal communications services See PCS. by satellite, including digital voice, data, fax and messaging services. It has raised approximately US$3 billion to date from equity and debt investors. Among its investors are more than 60 strategic partners and investors, comprising telecommunications and technology companies from over 50 markets around the world. In July of 1998, ICO was listed on Nasdaq in New York New York, state, United States New York, Middle Atlantic state of the United States. It is bordered by Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and the Atlantic Ocean (E), New Jersey and Pennsylvania (S), Lakes Erie and Ontario and the Canadian province of and became a public company. ICO expects to begin commercial operations of its mobile satellite services in the third quarter of next year. Its satellite services are expected to be used by international and domestic cellular users who roam outside areas covered by compatible cellular networks from business, industry and government organizations, mining, transportation, aeronautical aer·o·nau·tic also aer·o·nau·ti·cal adj. Of or relating to aeronautics. aer  o·nau , maritime, media and other sectors, as well as residents of rural and remote areas lacking adequate local communications. ICO's services will be based on a new generation of pocket-sized mobile phones that will allow users to make and receive calls at any time, anywhere in the world. The handsets will be dual mode, capable of working on satellite, cellular and PCS (1) (Personal Communications Services) Refers to wireless services that emerged after the U.S. government auctioned commercial licenses in 1994 and 1995. This radio spectrum in the 1. networks. Using their handsets, customers will be able to roam between ICO and mobile networks around the world. If no cellular network is available, the handset will roam to ICO's satellite network to offer customers mobility and accessibility for their communications needs. Visit the ICO Website at http: www.ico.com |
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